Another Unknown .... Maybe Akron Diamond ?

Discussion in 'Mystery Lamps' started by mharron, Feb 17, 2016.

  1. mharron

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    Hi all,

    Found this little beauty last week. The closest I can pic it to is Akron but there are no others like it in the gallery. What do you all think.
     

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  2. Mackburner

    Mackburner United Kingdom Founder Member Subscriber

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    Akron for sure but one I have not seen before. The globe cage and base rest collar are from a model A which is a very short run model made in 1919 which has a torch lit type of generator with a match lighting conversion. This one however has a later 1920 type burner in that slightly older lantern. So the lantern is model A but the burner is model 103. The hood has been fettled of course because no Akron had an open sided top vent like that but otherwise an interesting piece. It might have come out of the factory like this but I suspect an aftermarket conversion. ::Neil::
     
  3. mharron

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    Thanks Neil, I had a strong feeling it was an Akron. Interesting comment about the hood. If it is fettled then it's a very very good job. It looks factory. I will take some better pictures of the details.
     
  4. mharron

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    Very well made if this hood has been fettled
     
  5. Carlsson

    Carlsson Sweden Admin/Founder Member

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    You think!?
    I think it looks crude and not very well made.
    Surely it's a home made piece from different parts.
     
  6. mharron

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    Hahahaha. It's not a bad job. Better than pot rivets and glue!!! Not sure why they would do pressed ended pins like that instead of set screws or small bolts if it were a home job. Whoever did it, did have some level of knowledge and skill. The tabs even have finished corners.

    A few possibilities if not factory - skilled person at home with some pride in their work - a workshop/engineer did it

    I think your average lantern user back in the day would have used a far more rudimentary method than this
     
  7. Carlsson

    Carlsson Sweden Admin/Founder Member

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    I don't think it has to be a very skilled person who made it. Just someone who's fairly handy.
    But not very precise. It's just three thin plates that has been bent two times and riveted in one end and screwed in the other.
    If factory made, I would surely hope that they would have made the corners better rounded than just cutting of the tip of each end. They aren't even cut evenly.
    And they would hopefully rivet or spot weld the supports to the top hood rather than use way too long and ugly screws.
    And also... why mount the supports on the outside of the lower part. :doh:

    Sorry, but in my opinion this is a pretty crappy job if it was meant to look good.
    But probably doing its job. Function over form.
     
  8. mharron

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    Function over form indeed.......Yes spots welds... That's exactly what you would expect. Your right about the supports being in the outside. Still not too bad a job, especially considering there's frightfully a lot of people out there who can even use a screwdriver
     
  9. mharron

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    So I wonder if the skirt is original to the lantern, did they split the original hood in two and add in the stands, or is the top and skirt were put together from two different hoods
     
  10. Carlsson

    Carlsson Sweden Admin/Founder Member

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    The skirt does indeed look like the original Akron part.
    I wonder what the purpose was to make that large space.
    The logical reason to open up this space is when you need better vent after increasing the power of a lamp.
    Radius did a similar thing.
    Their 500 cp version of the 300 cp 119-lantern has a modified hood where they just simply lifted the top part up above the lower part by the aid of a taller support.
    It look like crap. :lol:
     

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